Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-01-27
BONNER IN OLD AGE.
THE MAN WHO WAS ONCE NOTED
FOR QUAINT ADVERTISING.

Developing "a Gold Mine by the Use OF
Printers lnk-Wsges Paid to Contrib
utors-A Keen Critic-In the Ssnctum
and at Home.
Not long ago saw man crossing the
street railway tracks near the Franklin
statue with the gait of an old farmer. He
wore old fashioned broadcloth, with a low
cut waistcoat and Il rundown collar with
black tie. His Oyercoat pocket was
stuffed with newspapers and magazines.
A heavy bundle nestled under his arm.
Thick arctic shoes covered his feet, fO the
weather was wintry. His hair and hat
reminded me Of the late John A. Logan.
Like Logan, he wore his hat on the back
of his head The man was well knit, and
his head set quite close TO his shoulders.
He had high forehead. with fully devel-
oped perceptive faculties. The eyes We're
hazel and pleasant in expression, the nose
WAS clear and well cut, and the face quite
broad and placid. He ioped along as
though lost in thought. There was
nothing about him that would attract
special attention. 4 Jerseyman might
have taken him for some preacher in the
way W
Aquackenowk.
NEVER "PETERED OUT"
He was the man, however, who devel-
oped a gold mine by the use of printers
ink a quarter OF O century ago quicker
than any man in America since that time.
That mine ha, never "petered out" 1t is
as good to-day as when first discovered.
He was Robert Bonner. When a boy
l.. l., tla,,
as deliberate Of motion and as reflective in
mind as he is to-day. Mr.. Bonner's ad-
vertising method was not q cloud burst
which attracted momentary attention. II
was steady stream of water pouring from
a clear sky for an indefinite period. Be
fore six months the stream excited uni
yersai interest. People wanted TO know
where II came from, and what made it.
They bought his family newspaper to as
certain its source, and Mr.. Bonner quickly
became rich. Keen men, who initiated but
never equaled his quaint advertising, also
waxed wealthy. Others, who got in later,
tainted by the wayside, for the novelty Of
the advertising display was soon gone.
Mr.. Bonner spends from four TO five
hours day in his sanctum. 1t is an odd
little room. Everything seems to be in
confusion. The chairs are filed with piles
of old newspapers, and books and mega-
zines are scattered in every corner. En-
cravings and photographs, recalling the
triumphs and friendships Of past years.
hang on the walls. Bones, models of
hOofs, horseshoes aud other oddities sug
gestiye OF a love " equine speed are in
the room. The editorial desk is litter of
letters and newspaper clippings. Horace
Greeiey's old Tribune table WAS never in
q worse condition. Nobody but Mr. Bon
ner himself, however, touches anything in
the room If he wants any special article
he fishes among the litter at given spot
until he finds 1t. \ good sized safe squats
at one end of the room. Ii is filled with
curiosities that have q value peculiarly
delightful to Mr.. Bonner alone. For in
stance It contains the gold watch thai
marked Dexter's first wonderful time
The independent second hand remains on
The fraction OF a second as the catch was
sprung. and has never been thrown back
TO the hour since the horse dashed under
the string. Near this watch rests a sec
ond chronOmeter, marking the time of
Pocahontas, and third recalling the un-
rivaled achievement of the peerless Maud
5. How many other souvenirs Of the
glories past the safe hides from public
view Mr.. Bonner alone can tell.
PAID LARGE SALARIES.
The wonderful sums paid to Edward
Everett, Henry Ward Beecher and Fanny
Fern have repeatedly been made public,
These were by no means the only writer's
to whom Mr.. Bonner paid large salaries.
Oliver Dyer, stenographer, for years
edited the correspondents column at S35
a week. After decade Of this drudgery
he wrote an article for Packard's Monthly
entitled The Wickedest Man in New
York" He awoke the next morning
and found himself famous. Within q
year Charles A. Dana was paying him
800 a week for special reports on The
Sun. Mr.. Bonner opened his eyes.
Here, Oliver, ~ he said one afternoon, IF
you're worth 800 week to men outside
The Ledger Office, you're certainly worth
that money to the men inside of it. Stick
to your Answers TO Correspondents here
after, and draw your 800 a week"
From that day TO the present the veteran
has retained his easy berth
Mr.. Bonner is not only keen literary
critic. but he is an accurate Judge of men.
His knowledge of human nature seems in
tuitiye. His judgment is quick and de-
cisive. He knows what he wants and he
pays handsomely for it. No man can
coax him TO buy what he doesn't want
He trimmed his sails and laid his news
paper course thirty years ago, and he has
pursued it since then without jibing or
making a tack. His columns are never
at the service of his friends. He refuses
to grind even the most infinitessimal Of
axes. To all such appeals he is adamant
He frequently steels himself against his
own sympathies in nerying himself to
refuse such requests.
Between 3 and p. m. Mr.. Bonner up
sets his waste paper basket, pulls on his
OvershOeS, descends the stairs and trudges
He walks over TO the Park
place elevated station and rides to Fifty
eighth street He lives on this street,
within POO feet Of Fifth avenue The
house is plain brown stone front, four
stories high, and without any extra trim
nings. II is substantially but not gaud- |
ly furnished Bookcases are not only
filed, but W; ;Jmes are piled upon the
parlor tables without regard TO effect. !
Bonner is a plain, matter of fact home |
man. He has no box at the opera and I |
never saw him at theatre He gives no |
social entertainments York Cor.
Pioneer Press.
Divorced People In Paris.
Divorce is now so frequent that make 1